CML Stop Clinical Trial: Prospective Study of Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Who Reach a Unique Criteria for Stopping TKI Therapy

This study focuses on patients in Windsor with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Currently, this study includes 20 participants but there are approximately 100 CML patients being followed in Windsor. These patients previously had to continue life-long medications called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) that can have negative side effects, such as heart disease, pleural effusions, vascular disease, diabetes, etc. Many patients with CML across Canada live in larger cities with completed studies that allow up to half of them to stop this life-long treatment safely with PCR testing every 4 weeks. This clinical trial aims to help patients in Windsor with a current turn-around time of 6 weeks for PCR testing. Patients have been offered an opportunity to stop their medications on this clinical trial, the only approved way to stop the medication. This study will improve the quality of life and re-define real-world stopping criteria for CML patients. Current results have demonstrated a 71% success rate in maintaining remission in CML patients stopping TKIs.